JP2969637B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] Regarding general recording for enabling high-definition recording, information is recorded and erased by using a method completely different from the conventional optical recording / reproducing method, that is, by using irregularities on the medium surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rewritable method and a recording apparatus of a new recording method utilizing the above-mentioned unevenness.

A layer that changes reversibly between a crystalline structure and an amorphous structure, and that has a different density between these structures, and from one structure to another by applying energy to the desired discontinuous portions of the layer. Means for changing the structure, wherein information is stored by forming discontinuous high portions and low portions in the layer by a structural change,
A recording apparatus includes means for filling the discontinuous lower portion formed in the layer with ink, and means for transferring the ink to recording paper.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention generally relates to recording for enabling high-definition recording, and relates to a memory, a printer, and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the versatility of computer systems has increased, and it has been desired that printers used as output devices of electronic computers output high-quality prints equivalent to type prints and high-quality images such as photographs.

[Conventional technology]

At present, recording methods of a general printer include an impact method, a thermal transfer method, an ink jet method, an electrophotographic method, and the like.

While each method has its advantages, it also has disadvantages. For example, the impact method has a noise problem, the thermal transfer method has a low recording speed, the ink jet method has clogged nozzles, and the electrophotographic method has a problem that the process is complicated and the size of the apparatus is large. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are not as described above.

At present, the recording method capable of realizing the highest speed and high resolution is the electrophotographic method. The electrophotographic method includes processes of charging, exposure (latent image formation), development, transfer, and fixing. In the development process of attaching toner particles to the latent image area to form a visible image, a dry development method using 5 to 20 μm dry toner particles and a 0.1 to 0.5 μm toner suspended in an insulating liquid are used. It is roughly classified into a wet development method using particles.

At a resolution of 1000 dpi, toner particles having a particle size of 6 μm or less are required. At a resolution of 2000 dpi, toner particles having a particle size of 3 μm or less are required. However, if the particle size of the toner particles is reduced in dry development, the image quality deteriorates due to the fact that the toner particles are aggregated and the fluidity is deteriorated, or that an appropriate amount of toner charge cannot be obtained. Also, in wet development, 0.
There is no problem of resolution because the toner particles of 1 to 0.5 μm are suspended, but the recording paper gets wet when transferring the developed toner image to the recording paper, so a heat source is required to dry it . In addition, there is a problem that odor occurs during drying,
There is a problem that it is difficult to constantly and uniformly disperse the toner particles in the liquid.

Further, in order to enable high-definition recording, a high-resolution image must be recorded on a photoconductor like an electrophotograph. In general, information is recorded on an optical disk generally used as a memory by using unevenness, magneto-optics, reflectance, refractive index, and the like. However, the conventional optical disk with unevenness is read-only and cannot be changed reversibly, so that it cannot be used as a photoconductor of a printer. Other recording methods do not form irregularities and cannot form an image due to a potential difference as in electrophotography.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, the printers of the respective recording methods have respective disadvantages. Therefore, there is a demand for a new recording type printer that uses a photoreceptor whose unevenness changes reversibly and ink without using toner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method which is completely different from the conventional optical recording / reproducing method, that is, a method in which information can be recorded and erased and rewritten by using irregularities on a medium surface. It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus using a new recording method that uses the above-mentioned unevenness.

[Means for solving the problem]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 31 denotes a thin film, which is made of a material such as TeGeSbS, TeGeAs, TeGeSn, and SnTeSe. Reference numeral 81 denotes a crystallization means, and reference numeral 82 denotes a non-crystallization means, for example, a semiconductor laser element, which creates a slowly cooled state or a rapidly cooled state after laser irradiation depending on the energy amount and irradiation time. By this cooling state, irregularities are formed on the thin film 31, and information can be recorded.

In addition, printing can be performed by using irregularities on the thin film 31. FIG. 3A shows the formation of a latent image. FIG. B shows development.
The crystal part 33, that is, the concave part is filled with ink by the developing supply means 40. FIG. 9C shows the transfer, in which the ink filled in the concave portion by the transfer means 50 is transferred to the recording paper 60. FIG. D shows the smoothing.

The present invention is not the unevenness due to the crystalline structure and the amorphous structure,
The unevenness may be formed by reversibly changing between two different crystal structures or two different amorphous structures.

[Action]

The above materials form a crystalline structure or an amorphous structure in a cooled state after receiving energy, that is, slowly or rapidly cooled. Irregularities are formed on the thin film due to the difference in density between the crystalline structure portion and the amorphous structure portion. That is, a crystal part having a high density forms a low part, and a non-crystal part having a low density forms a high part. With this unevenness, information can be recorded on the thin film, and erasing and rewriting can be performed.

Further, since recording is performed on recording paper by filling the concave portions on the thin film with ink, high-definition recording is possible by forming concave portions with high precision. Further, since the once formed unevenness does not change until the next latent image is formed, the same image can be output at high speed.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the printer of the present invention.
In the drawing, reference numeral 30 denotes a thin film drum, 20 denotes a latent image forming unit, 40 denotes a developing unit, 50 denotes a transferring unit, and 60 denotes a recording paper.

The thin film 31 on the thin film drum 30 is made of TeGeSbS, TeGeAs, TeGeSn,
It is made of a material such as SnTeSe. These materials form a crystalline structure or an amorphous structure depending on the cooling state after melting. The thin film 31 has a uniform amorphous structure as an initial state,
By the latent image forming means 20, a discontinuous crystal portion, that is, a concave portion is formed.

The latent image forming means 20 comprises two laser irradiators and an optical system for irradiating a desired position on the thin film 31 with the laser. The laser includes a smoothing laser 21 and an image forming laser 22. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an optical system of the present embodiment. The smoothing laser 21 is irradiated with a line, and evenly irradiates the surface of the thin film 31 by the rotation of the thin film drum 30. Laser for image formation
22 is irradiated at a point, linearly scans over the thin film 31 by rotation of the polygon mirror deflector 23, and irradiates a desired position.

In the latent image formation, when the image forming laser 22 is continuously irradiated after the irradiation of the smoothing laser 21, the irradiated portion is gradually cooled to form a crystal structure, that is, a concave portion. The depth of the concave portion needs to be about several μm. Further, the smoothing of the thin film 30 is performed at the time of forming the latent image, and after the laser beam for smoothing 21 is irradiated, if the laser beam for image forming 20 is not irradiated, the portion irradiated with the laser beam for smoothing 21 is rapidly cooled. Becomes amorphous structure,
Restored to its original state.

The developing means 40 includes an ink supply roller 41, an ink tank 42, and a blade 43. The ink is supplied to the concave portion of the thin film drum 30 by the ink supply roller 40, and then the excess ink adhering to the surface is removed by the blade 43. Finally, the recording paper 60 is pressed against the thin film drum 30 by the pressing roller 61, and the ink in the concave portion is transferred to the recording paper.

In the above, examples of materials having different densities in the crystal structure and the non-crystal structure have been described. However, the same print record can be performed by a material capable of reversibly changing between a plurality of crystal structures having different densities or between non-crystal structures. .

Further, although the present embodiment relates to a printer, it is also possible to configure an apparatus for performing recording and reproduction using this thin film as a recording medium as it is. Information is recorded by forming the thin film into a drum shape, a disk shape, or a flat shape, and forming irregularities on the thin film.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, since the printer of the present invention uses ink, it does not use an electrophotographic developing solution (a solution in which toner particles are suspended in an insulating liquid). Also, the developer is not constantly and uniformly dispersed. Further, since the process of drying the recording paper at the time of transfer can be omitted, the apparatus configuration is simplified, and a small printer can be realized. In addition, in the electrophotographic method, once the image is transferred, the latent image must be formed again. However, once the latent image is formed, the image remains until the image is smoothed by the laser, and the same image is obtained at low cost. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

 FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a view showing an optical system of an embodiment. In the figure, 20 ... latent image forming means 30 ... thin film drum 40 ... developing means 50 ... transferring means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-175239 (JP, A) JP-A-60-155495 (JP, A) JP-A-2-286388 (JP, A) 26897 (JP, B1) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41M 5/26

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A reversibly changing state between a crystal structure and an amorphous structure, between two different crystal structures, or between two different amorphous structures, and a density between these two structures. A layer (31) formed of a different material; and means (8) for changing one structure to the other structure by applying energy to a desired position of the layer (31).
1, 82), wherein information is stored by forming discontinuous high and low portions in the layer (31) by the structural change. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layer (3)
A means (40) for filling the discontinuous lower part made in 1) with ink, and a means (50) for transferring the ink to recording paper
A recording device comprising: